ONE GIRL'S QUEST TO SAVE THE WORLD'S BIG CATS

GWLPT week 1

Week one at the GWLPT has been full of excitement. Supplementing the Lions on day one was eventful, the bucky carrying the supplement to Tsau broke down on the dirt road which had to be towed around for the supplement. The two lionesses at Shidolo had a wildebeest kill so we didn’t need to supplement them, and we had to tow the supplement bucky all the way back to Mbube in the dark along the long dirt road.

George using the telemetry to locate the lions for the supplement.

Each morning and evening we do our lion checks which is always fascinating, watching the relationships and hierarchy between the newly released pride.

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Hand prints in the volunteer House.

Stephanie and i have gone to a few schools this week with the Star Lion Leeders which was lovely to see these kids being taught values and shown they can be whatever they want. Being helped to see and reach there potential. The GWLPT is doing amazing things with the communities here.

We did a game count around Mbube on wednesday morning which was fun, we saw most of the animals at the farm including the 2 month old giraffe which was quite cute and nice for the farm seeing as an older male giraffe died not long ago. With death comes new life, which is the way in Africa, the ecosystem working together in perfect harmony to sustain itself. In this technological age where we have destroyed so much with infrastructure and over population, it is warming to be in some of the closest places you can get to the true wild in Africa still ie Kruger National Park.

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Dorothee and Muzi

On Friday Stephanie Muzi and I went to Kruger National Park, with Muzi as our guide and driver we had a terrific time with great sightings of so many animals. Muzi had so much knowledge of the flora and fauna to learn us and a great eye for spotting. It turned out to be a blistering hot day driving around in the land cruiser but we prevailed with just enough water for around 12 hours in the car with a few breaks. Here our some photos from our day at Kruger.

Our First magnificent sighting of the day a Spotted hyena, Sorry for the shocking photos.

Kruger is Abundant with beautiful Impala

Vulture Flying to A carcass

White-Backed Vulture on its perch

A small Warthog grazing by the road

Two White Rhino enjoying some shade in the heat

Buffalo strolling and grazing

A very special sighting of a Black Backed Jackal

A beautiful Lilac-breasted Roller

Another special sighting of a Kori Bustard

A Leopard leaving its mark in a tree, an Impala skull.

A large single tusked female Elephant using her remaining tusk to rip roots out of the ground.

A sub adult male Elephant.

A Lion and Lioness lying in the shade

Another special sighting of the critically endangered Southern Ground Hornbill

Our time here is going so fast just one week left in this beautiful country. Can’t wait for what our remaining days bring. Will check back with you all soon.